DESCBJPTIX^ 29 



the upland elevations and the brattle of the 

 running water, rising famiharly from the neigh- 

 bouring stream, this might indeed be a portion 

 of Scotland — some out-of-the-way comer of the 

 western islands. If we draw near to the edge of 

 the plateau, and look out over the broad expanse 

 of splendid country- which hes between ^Mlanje 

 and the Indian Ocean, the fuU effect of the still 

 beautiful picture is considerably marred at this 

 time of year by the misty atmosphere produced 

 by the smoke of the winter grass fires. At the 

 edge of the crater-like hp which in places forms 

 the outer extremity of the high plateau, you 

 crawl cautiously through the screen of low trees 

 and bushes and look out over a wonderful ^-ista 

 of tree-covered undulation, and bare, ghstening 

 granite walls. These latter, from the edge where- 

 on you are seated, descend almost sheer down for 

 probably 800 feet, thence slope gradually plain- 

 ward, covered with trees of inconsiderable girth, 

 and rough with granite boulders unearthed by the 

 terrific landshdes of the past. These slopes form 

 the purple-green foothills which, from a distance 

 of several miles, lend so suave an aspect to distant 

 African mountains. Away to the southward you 

 see inunense expanses of very partially forested 

 countrj', with more hills and granite peaks rising 

 in glittering, billowy confusion, and leading your 

 eye onward to a distant point low down on the 

 horizon where the far-away gleam of sun upon 

 water reveals the whereabouts of the wide 

 Zambezi. The intervening plain is sparsely in- 

 habited, although from its condition of marked 



